


The Legend of Stray Kids

by Kristallglasgedanken



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender, Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Avatar & Benders Setting, I'm Bad At Tagging, I'm Sorry, Inspired by Avatar: The Last Airbender, M/M, This Was Supposed To Be A One Shot, now i'm freaking making it a whole fic, what am I doing with my life
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-06
Updated: 2018-10-06
Packaged: 2019-07-27 07:52:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16214708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kristallglasgedanken/pseuds/Kristallglasgedanken
Summary: "Water. Earth. Fire. Air. Long ago, the four nations lived together in harmony. Then, everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked. They wiped out the entirety of the air nomands, leaving only death and horror in their wake. Only the Avatar, master of all four elements and last of the air benders, could stop them and when the world needed him most he was there, fighting until the very end. But he couldn't save us from the Fire Nation and sccumbed to Fire Lord Sozin at the beginning of the Great War."Now, four years after the Battle of the Black Cliffs, Chan runs into the actual last air bender, a young man named Woojin, in Ba Sing Se. Together with Chan's brother Changbin and their friend Jisung, they decide to go on an adventure to fulfil an ancient prophecy talking about nine young benders who combine their powers in order to defeat a great evil. They're still young and still have a lot to learn, but they might just be able to save the world.





	The Legend of Stray Kids

**Author's Note:**

> Alright, so first of all, this is my first time putting up anything on this site. Constructive criticism, comments and kudos are greatly appreciated.  
> Second of all, believe it or not, this was inspired by a crack video on Youtube. Go check out Yah Chan aka Cham, she's great. I originally wanted to only write a short oneshot, but I kinda just decided fuck it I'm making this a full blown fic somewhere along the way. Idk why, just roll with it. (I'm totally not procrastinating and there's no senior thesis paper I should get started on at all...)  
> And lastly, I want to thank you, dear reader, for giving this work a chance. Thanks buddy, really nice of you.
> 
> Anyway, enjoy the first chapter.

Ba Sing Se is a city like no other. Its gigantic walls harbor all sorts of people. Merchants praising their newest products from the early hours of dawn till the sun goes down at night, buskers performing the most amazing tricks in hopes of earning enough coins to get through the next few days, pickpockets finding easy prey in unsuspecting visitors and tourists, a lot of that kind of stuff. Then, there are the elite and the rich, living luxurious lives in the upper ring of the metropolis, a stark contrast to the starving folk in the outskirts of town, a picturesque portrayal of poverty, painted in the bleakest colors of reality. It’s the biggest city in the entire world, filled with so many people and stories, all of them coexisting somewhat peacefully in the shadows of the enormous barriers protecting them from the outside world.

One of the people living in Ba Sing Se is Chan. He’s no different from anyone else of the thousand, no million, others in the city. Going through the motions of his day to day life, earning his money at the small and cramped but still charming tea shop around the corner from where he lives, all the while hoping every day that something more interesting will happen to him soon. He’s a bit of a dreamer to say the least.

His brother Changbin once said that Chan’s personality traits don’t match at all. He’s always up for an adventure, as small and mundane as it may be, and loves exploring other and potentially dangerous parts of the city when he has the time to spare, but on the other hand he’s constantly worrying about others and is normally the most sensible out of their little trio. Said trio consisting, of course, of Chan himself, Changbin and their friend Jisung. The best benders of Ba Sing Se, as Jisung likes to call them. Changbin always calls him stupid when he says that. Chan just thinks he’s over exaggerating.

Today has been a good day so far, just a little boring maybe. But - Chan convinces himself, as he locks the shop behind him - boring is good. Boring means everything is normal and fine and the Fire Nation hadn’t launched yet another assault on the city. An unpleasant shudder runs through his body, as he passes by the construction sites on the way back to his apartment down the road. The workers are still doing their best to fix the damages done the week before. Chan tries not to think about what might have happened if things had just gone a little differently. Even though they live in the outer ring of town, the possibility that an attack from the outside might affect them this greatly hasn’t been something Chan has considered before. The thought makes him uncomfortable. After all, there is no war in Ba Sing Se. Or so they’re told.

He’s violently ripped from his gloomy thoughts as someone runs into him, full force, and as he’s stumbling backwards towards the ground, he catches a glimpse of shaggy brown hair and light grey eyes under a sandy yellow hood. A moment later, his butt has become acquainted with the floor and it hurts like hell. The stranger looks down at him, a concerned expression on his pretty face, and reaches for Chan’s hand to help him get up.

“I’m really sorry about that, I wasn’t watching where I was going.” Chan fumbles around awkwardly, dusting the dirt of the street from his clothes, while the other man gives him worried smile. “No, it’s alright. I should’ve paid more attention as well. I was just in a hurry, I think, although I don’t know why.” The last part comes out strained and forced and Chan can’t help but feel like he’s being lied to. Why would someone not know why they’re in a hurry? That doesn’t make sense at all. Chan’s about to ask the other man what he’s on about, but he doesn’t have the time to even begin forming the question on the tip of his tongue, before the stranger’s head whips around, eyes frantically darting around the street. 

In a split second, he pulls Chan into an alleyway, a big hand coming up to cover his mouth. Is this a thing that people do normally? No. Is Chan freaked out? Yes. What the hell is going on? Is he being mugged? Chan prays to Kyoshi that that isn’t the case, because he’s really bad at confrontations.  
But no, that’s probably not the case, because his attacker is not even looking at him. Instead, he’s cautiously peering into the main street, tense and worried, almost as if he’s hiding from someone.

Chan mentally groans at his own stupidity. Of course the guy is hiding from someone, otherwise the two of them wouldn’t be cowering in the shadows and he probably wouldn’t be gagged. Come to think of it, the stranger is not even holding him in place against the wall, like he wants to trap him, he’s really only preventing him from speaking. Chan’s still able to move and everything. Maybe he should just wait for an explanation? 

Then again, patience had never really been his strong suit, so he tentatively reaches out and taps the stranger’s shoulder as carefully as possible. Obviously not carefully enough, because the man’s head whips around so fast again that Chan’s starting to wonder whether or not he suffers from severe neck pain. That movement must surely hurt like hell. His musings are short lived though as the hand on his mouth is finally removed and the strange man gives him a rather sheepish grin. It doesn’t fit the situation they’re in but Chan finds it to be ridiculously endearing.

“Look, I am really sorry about ambushing you like this,” the man begins and Chan only notices now how he seems to stumble over the syllables and how his voice is rough like sandpaper, like he’s just getting used to talking again after a long time. “And I know this is probably a very weird request to make, especially considering what just happened, but do you, by any chance have a place to stay for me?”  
Chan blinks confusedly.

\-------------------------------------

“Wait, so let me get this straight,” Changbin starts again. Jisung just snorts from where he’s seated at the table across from their mysterious guest. “You ran into a stranger, he practically assaulted you in a dark alley and then asks you to take him home with you? And you do exactly that? Are you totally insane?” The utter look of disbelief on his face is almost comical. Chan just rolls his eyes and takes the kettle from the small stove in the corner. He pours the boiling tea into four cups and sets them down at the table, one for each of them, before he sits down next to the stranger and across from Changbin who’s still staring at him angrily.

Letting out a deep sigh, Chan tries to explain himself. “Look, if he wanted to hurt me, he could have. There were plenty of opportunities for him to do so and okay, while I admit this probably wasn’t one of my smartest moves, he still looked like he could use all the help he could get. And you know me better than anyone. Do you really think I could have just left him there in the streets?” Changbin looks like he wants to scream in frustration. Jisung still looks mostly amused, even if there’s a glint of concern in his eyes.  
“We don’t even know his name! We don’t know who he is or what he wants!” exclaims Changbin. He does have a point. Chan hadn’t even thought to ask for a name first, before introducing himself and taking the stranger to their apartment. Despite that, he still trusts his instincts telling him that their guest doesn’t have any bad intentions even if he understands why Changbin must think he’s lost his mind.

“Woojin,” the man suddenly speaks up in that sandpaper voice of his and three heads turn towards him simultaneously. “My name is Woojin and I am from the Southern Air Temple.”

Chan’s jaw hits the floor and Changbin’s and Jisung’s eyes almost pop out of their sockets. An air nomad. Alive. Sitting at their table and drinking from a cup of tea like he hadn’t just turned their whole world upside down with just one sentence. It sounds like a bad joke. But Woojin doesn’t look like he’s joking around, quite the contrary actually. He sets his now half empty cup down on the table again and fixes all of them with a rather serious stare.

After a few moments of tense silence and trying to regain his composure, Chan clears his throat awkwardly. The sound rings loudly in the quiet apartment. “So… you’re an air bender?” he asks hesitantly, still not sure if this is not just all a crazy dream he’s having. Maybe he was just knocked out when the stranger ran into him in the street? But it doesn’t feel like he’s dreaming. So what in the name of Kyoshi is going on?

Woojin rubs the back of his neck nervously and nods. “Yes. I am. But I would really appreciate it if you would refrain from telling anyone else. I’d only barely managed to escape the authorities who found out about my, uh, abilities earlier when I ran into you.” His voice sounds different now, smoother, probably because of the tea he drank, but the way he pronounces certain words still sounds off somehow.

Changbin isn’t convinced. “How are you alive then? I thought all air nomads were wiped out years ago! Even back before the Avatar died,” his voice falters a bit on that last sentence when Jisung jabs him between the ribs lightly. Woojin looks down at the cup in front of him, a distant look in his sky grey eyes. He looks pained and Chan is suddenly overcome by a wave of sadness and pity for this strange man he just met an hour ago. When he looks at Jisung he sees his own feelings reflected in the younger boys eyes. Even Changbin seems regretful.

“I’m sorry, Woojin. I didn’t mean to…” But Woojin doesn’t let him finish. “No, it’s fine. You’re right. My people were brutally murdered by the Fire Nation. Avatar Aang was believed to be the last of our kind before even he died in the Battle of the Black Cliffs.” His voice is shaky and it sounds like he’s about to cry. It’s a distressing sight, a young adult on the verge of tears, talking about the mass murder of his friends and family. The death of the Avatar only dates back a few years, recent enough for even Jisung, the youngest among them, to still remember first hearing about it.

Jisung is the first to act. He hesitantly takes Woojin’s hands, which are tightly clutching the tea cup, into his and gives him an encouraging smile. “It’s okay. You’re here, you’re safe now. We’ll help you get through this,” he assures the air bender gently. This kind of stuff comes naturally to him; Jisung really has a talent for comforting people despite his loud and rowdy nature. It’s something Chan and Changbin know from personal experience. The both of them have often been at the receiving end of Jisung’s affections and care. Chan smiles slightly as Woojin relaxes a little. 

Changbin still seems uncomfortable, probably feeling guilty for evoking such a horribly emotional response. He starts apologizing once more, but is yet again interrupted by Woojin.

“I told you. It’s fine. You didn’t do it on purpose. And, to be frank, I understand your doubts,” he says softly. Changbin smiles in acceptance. “And if you really need proof, I’ll be glad to provide you with it,” Woojin suddenly continues, startling all three of them. Chan raises an eyebrow and Jisung worriedly assures their guest that he doesn’t have to do anything he doesn’t want to, but Woojin just looks at him thankfully and gently takes his hands out of Jisung’s smaller ones. It’s then, that Chan first notices the blue tattoos on the man’s hands, shaped like the tips of arrows. The sign of an air bending master. A small, surprised gasp leaves his mouth and Changbin looks at him questioningly but he just shakes his head and motions for him to watch Woojin instead.

“I know I do not need to prove anything, but I want you to believe me. Really believe me. I know that I’m not making a mistake by trusting you three.” With those words, he lifts his hands up, creating a small tornado in the palm of his right hand, before pressing it together with his left hand, the spinning air forming a disc between his hands. “This is a simple trick Aang taught me, back when we were still training in the temple together as children,” he sighs wistfully.

The trio watches him in awe, not believing what they’re seeing. This is something completely new, a form of bending none of them had ever experienced before. Not even when the Avatar had still been alive. They had never met him in person, let alone seen him during battle and to see this strange and unfamiliar way of manipulating the elements fills all of them with a sense of unexplainable nostalgia for a time they never got to be part of.

“It’s beautiful,” Jisung whispers and Chan nods in silent agreement. Changbin just stares at the whirling air in Woojin’s hands, completely floored. Woojin just smiles sadly at them and then, with a few elegant hand movements, stops the air from spinning. 

“That was… wow,” Chan says quietly. He feels a little dazed by all of this new information. “It was amazing, that’s what it was! Woojin, you’re amazing!” exclaims Jisung and Chan quickly shushes him. They’re still at a risk of being overheard. After all, the walls are very thin here.  
“Thank you,” Woojin says and bows his head, seemingly at bit more at ease than before his demonstration. It looks like a weight has been lifted from his shoulders, at least partly.  
Changbin clears his throat and the others turn towards him expectantly. He fidgets with his cup a bit- the tea has gone cold by now - before he starts talking. “That was breathtaking, it really was, but I still have something to ask you. It’s not because I don’t trust you, I think that’s cleared up now. But I’d really like to know...” Woojin nods, asking him to go ahead.

“Why are you here? What do you want in Ba Sing Se? And why now? You were hiding from the Fire Nation for what, like four years, and you’ve suddenly decided to come out now. Why?” Chan is about to tell his brother to stop asking questions that might make the air nomad uncomfortable again, but Woojin puts a calming hand on his shoulder. “It’s alright, Chan, I understand why he’s asking. And the reason why I’ve come here is a rather important one so I would have told you anyway.”  
Three pairs of eyes are focused on Woojin yet again as he takes a deep breath.

“I’m here because I need help. I spent the last years after Aang’s death in the Si Wong desert, meditating in the spirit world. The spirits of the desert explained to me that even though the Avatar is essentially dead there’s still a way to put an end to the Fire Nation’s plans. According to an ancient tale, I have to find eight young benders in order to unite their powers and create a force similar to the Avatar’s in his most powerful state. I came here to look for earth benders willing to help me. But it has proved to be kind of difficult to recruit anyone without giving away my identity or paying them money that I don’t have,” Woojin sighs dejectedly and Chan makes a split second decision.

He can tell that Jisung has the same idea he just had when he sees the exited glimmer in his eyes. The younger boy throws a glance in his direction and Chan sees his own desire for adventure mirrored in Jisung. Looking at Changbin he finds him seemingly lost in his own thoughts. He raises a questioning eyebrow, asking for approval, and Changbin knows and gives it to him in the form of a small nod.

Sitting up a bit straighter, Chan clears his throat. What he’s about to say has the potential to change all of their lives forever. No, it doesn’t just have the potential, it will change their lives forever. But he’s confident in himself and even more so in Jisung and Changbin. They can do this. 

“We’re going to help you.”

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, I hope you enjoyed that. See you for the next update. 
> 
> (Don't worry, I'll introduce the rest of Stray Kids soon.)


End file.
